Archives

> archive  home

2004 Past Speakers & Faculty in Residence

[click on name for biographical information]
Carmen Twillie Ambar

CARMEN TWILLIE AMBAR
Carmen Twillie Ambar is the ninth woman to serve as Dean of Douglass College of Rutgers University--the nation's largest public undergraduate women's college. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Dean Ambar was Assistant Dean for Graduate Education at the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University, overseeing the operation of its three graduate programs. In this position, she was responsible for many key administrative and academic functions, including curriculum development, budget allocation, management of joint degree programs, supervision of the Graduate Registrar and staff, development and implementation of academic rules and regulations, and academic support and advising for students. She also directed the school's summer program for undergraduate students of color, hiring staff and designing its programmatic aspects.

As an attorney, Dean Ambar served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the Office of the Corporation Counsel for the City of New York (1994-1998), and participated in several high-profile cases, in which she defended the city against constitutional challenges to legislative regulations, and prosecuted criminal violations of the administrative code.

In the early 1990s, she was a Program Assistant for Newark Fighting Back, Inc., co-writing a successful $ 3-million proposal to develop a comprehensive approach to reducing the demand for illicit drugs and alcohol in the city of Newark. She also aided in the conceptualization and implementation of more than 75 programs, including drug treatment for women and children, and community policing. Additionally, as an intern in the Governor's Office in her native Arkansas, Dean Ambar prepared memoranda on various issues for then-Governor Bill Clinton.

Dean Ambar is a 1994 graduate of both the Columbia School of Law and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, where she received a Master's degree in Public Affairs, following completion of a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in 1990, from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. She also studied at the Institut des Sciences Politiques in Paris and the Université de Caen in Normandy, France, and was an exchange student in Kobe, Japan. She is admitted to the New York State Bar and is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. [BACK TO TOP]

   
Ann Bedsole

ANN BEDSOLE
A trailblazer, Ann Bedsole was the first Republican woman elected to the Alabama House of Representatives (1978-1982), and the first woman to serve in the Alabama Senate (1982-1994), where she chaired the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee.

Ann Bedsole was born in Selma, Alabama, and studied at the University of Alabama and Denver University. A tireless community activist, she also earned two Honorary Doctor of Law degrees from the University of Mobile (1984) and Huntington College (1985). Her accomplishments are too numerous to be listed, suffice to mention a representative few.

Education has often been the focus of her efforts. She was instrumental in the founding of the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science, serving as Vice President and President of its Board, as well as Founding Chair of the Alabama Forest Resource Center. She also helped to establish the Dwight Harrigan Learning Center at the University of Mobile, and started the C.I.T.Y Program–an alternate school to rehabilitate juvenile criminals.

These and many other efforts did not go unnoticed. The Montgomery Advertiser and The Alabama Journal bestowed upon her their Meritorious Public Service Awards. Many others followed: she was selected "Mobilian of the year" (1993), elected to membership in the Alabama Academy of Honor (1996), received the Lillian C. McGowin Outstanding Philanthropist Award (1998), the Wintzell's My Town Award (2002), the Chamber of Commerce Fred Delchamps Award, the Lilian C. McGowin Outstanding Civic Leader Award (2003), the Mobile United's Fred Delchamps Award (2003), and the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (2004).

The Honorable Ann Bedsole has served on numerous Boards, including those of the Business Innovation Center, Mobile United, the Mobile Area Education Foundation, the Alabama Forest Resources Center, and presided the Board of Mobile Tricentennial, Inc. The owner of Bedsole Farms, she chairs the Distribution Committee of The Sybil H. Smith Charitable Trust, and serves as President and CEO of White Smith Land Company, Inc. [BACK TO TOP]
 

Beverley Nelson Brady

BEVERLYE NELSON BRADY
Beverlye N. Brady, a cum laude graduate of Auburn University and the Cumberland School of Law, is admitted to the practice in all Alabama courts, and has practiced in Lee County Courts for more than 17 years. She has extensive experience in domestic and family law, criminal defense, civil litigation, collections, representation of small businesses and corporations, and appeals writing.

Serving her community and her profession at many levels, she holds membership in the Lee County Bar Association, the Alabama Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Legal Honorary Society, the Opelika Business and Professional Women's Club, the Lee County Heart Association and Heart Guild, the Lee County Indigent Defense Commission, and the Board of Directors of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, to mention but a few.

Active in local politics, Ms. Brady is currently running for Lee County Circuit Court Judge. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Beth Chapman

BETH CHAPMAN
Beth Chapman was the first woman in Alabama's history to serve as Appointments Secretary in the Cabinet of Governor Fob James, during his last term. She was later Press Secretary to Lieutenant Governor Steve Windom.

In 1996, the Honorable Beth Chapman started her own company, Beth Chapman & Associates, LLC, which allowed her to combine her love for non-profit work, public relations and politics, into one successful company. Writing speeches for many high-ranking officials in Alabama and managing their campaigns, she has also worked with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Charlton Heston.

As State Auditor, Ms. Chapman is fifth in line of succession to the Governor, is responsible for managing property valued at $1.6 billion for the State, serves on several boards, and appoints members of the Board of Registrars in sixty-six counties.

Throughout the years, she has received numerous personal and professional honors and awards. In February 2003, at the outset of the war with Iraq, Ms. Chapman presented a four-minute speech for which she received five standing ovations from the 1200 people in attendance at a "Stand Up for America Rally" in Pelham, Alabama.

Soon the speech began to circulate through the national media and over the internet. Aside from requests for copies of the speech, Ms. Chapman has received thousands of emails, in addition to thousands of personal letters from soldiers, veterans and their families, in praise of her patriotic speech and her courage in giving it. It has been labeled "What most people thought, but didn't know how to say." The speech was entered into the Congressional Record by Congressman Jo Bonner in April of 2003.

Ms. Chapman has since written a book entitled The Power of Patriotism, which will be released in May 2004. It details the origination and presentation of the speech and the heart-touching responses she received from it. It includes handwritten letters from soldiers on the battlefield the first day they marched on Baghdad, and from the USS Providence submarine as the missiles were fired from the Red Sea. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Cynthia Beck Conner

CYNTHIA BECK CONNER
As Chief of an Analytic Production Element at the Department of Defense (DOD), Cynthia Beck Conner is responsible for providing critical intelligence in support of current military operations and national decision-making. Additionally, she oversees the development and management of a corporate Information Systems solution provider. A 22-year employee of the Department of Defense, Ms. Conner has served in management and leadership positions, including a three-year assignment in Europe, and two more with other Federal Government agencies. In these positions, she has worked extensively with the military, the Department of State, private industry, and a number of other government organizations. A fluent speaker of French and Spanish, Ms. Conner has traveled extensively in Europe, and Central and South America, and actively mentors a number of Federal Government employees.

In 1980, she graduated from Auburn University with a BA in Foreign Languages and International Trade. Prior to joining the NSA, she taught English, French and Spanish in the Prince George County school system, in Maryland. Pursuing further studies, she earned a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College, in 1993.

In addition to her work for the Federal Government, Ms. Conner is fully engaged in her local community, serving as an officer on the Martins Cove Farm Board of Directors, as an active volunteer and member of the PTA, as a guest reader in the elementary school system, and as a Craft Director for a Brownie troop. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Sheila Copps

SHEILA COPPS
Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Sheila Copps entered politics in 1981 by becoming the first member of the Liberal Party of Canada in over 50 years to represent the provincial riding of Hamilton Centre. In 1984, Ms. Copps ran for federal office and was elected to the House of Commons for the riding of Hamilton East. She has since been re-elected five successive times.

Following the 1993 federal election, then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien appointed her Deputy Prime Minister--the equivalent of Vice President in the United States--and Minister of the Environment. In that portfolio, she brought forward the strongest federal environmental assessment legislation in the world, instituted Canada's first framework for the "greening" of federal government operations, created a Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, and initiated the drafting of Canada's first national legislation for the protection of endangered species. In January 1996, Ms. Copps was named Minister of Canadian Heritage. Among her achievements, she unveiled the Canada Television and Cable Production Fund for independent film and television production, brought in copyright protection for Canada's recording artists and producers, and added 60,000 square kilometres of wilderness to Canada's National Parks. In June 1997, she was renamed Minister of Canadian Heritage by then-Prime Minister Chrétien.

In February 2003, Ms. Copps launched her bid for the Liberal Party leadership in her hometown of Hamilton. She travelled coast-to-coast, signing up over 32,000 new Party members and participating in six national debates. Even as the Rt. Honourable Paul Martin emerged as the clear winner of the leadership campaign, Ms. Copps carried on with the race, injecting progressive and passionate ideas into the national dialogue. She is looking forward to working with Prime Minister Martin and her caucus colleagues on implementing some of the proposals she laid out in her campaign.

Ms. Copps earned a B.A. degree with honours in French and English, from the University of Western Ontario, and pursued further studies at McMaster University and the University of Rouen in France. She worked as a newspaper journalist with both The Hamilton Spectator and The Ottawa Citizen. In 1998, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Law from the Université Sainte-Anne in Nova Scotia, in recognition of her efforts to promote bilingualism and her commitment to advancing the French language and culture in Canada. In 1986, Ms. Copps wrote Nobody's Baby, an autobiographical look at the world of Canadian politics. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Ruth G. Crosby

RUTH G. CROSBY
Ruth G. Crosby is the Executive Director of First Light, Inc., a non-profit center for homeless women, located in her native Birmingham, Alabama. Upon earning a B.S. degree in Biology from Huntington College in Montgomery, she was employed for thirteen years by Southern Research Institute, where she conducted clinical research on such diseases as cancer and malaria. Later, Ms. Crosby served as Logistics Manager at EBSCO Industries, a media/publishing corporation in Birmingham.

A long-time advocate of the homeless, Ms. Crosby began volunteering at the basement shelter of the First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, the predecessor of First Light. Though equipped to serve only 15 women, it regularly welcomed 40, and was staffed predominantly by volunteers. Recognizing the need for a more permanent solution, Ms. Crosby was instrumental in founding First Light, Inc. In 1998, she oversaw the purchase and renovation of an abandoned hotel in downtown Birmingham to serve as the permanent offices and shelter of First Light, which continues to be the first step off the street for homeless women and children, regardless of mental illness, active addiction, or time of day. As Executive Director of First Light since it opened its doors in 2000, Ms. Crosby oversees a support staff of clinicians, social workers, and volunteers.

An active member of the outreach community in Birmingham and throughout the state, Ms. Crosby serves on the Board of Metropolitan Birmingham Services for the Homeless (MBSH)--an umbrella organization of homeless service providers in the area--and on the Oversight Committee of the State of Alabama Department of Health and Human Resources. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Athena Debbie Efraim

ATHENA DEBBIE EFRAIM (Faculty-In-Residence)
Athena Debbie Efraim is Legal Counsel with the Competition Law Division, (Competition Bureau of Industry Canada) of the Canadian Department of Justice. Prior to her current appointment, Dr. Efraim was an Associate in the Vancouver offices of Fasken, Martineau, DuMoulin–one of Canada's leading law firms--where she practiced Corporate, Commercial, and Securities Law. She was also a Lecturer at Bishop's University in Lennoxville, Quebec, specializing in international institutional law, law politics and Canadian society, and taught banking law at Carleton University in Ottawa. In the US, Dr. Efraim worked at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) of the World Bank in Washington, DC.

Dr. Efraim obtained a Doctorate in International Law (LL.D.) from the University of Montreal, a Master of Law (LL.M.) in International Legal Studies from the Washington College of Law at the American University, in Washington, DC, and a Law Degree (LL.L.) from the University of Ottawa. Additionally, she has pursued international law studies at the Hague Academy of International Law in The Netherlands, and at the University of San Diego's Institute on International and Comparative Law in Paris, France.

Her work has earned her several honors, including the distinction of excellence for her doctoral thesis (ranked among the top 5%) at the Faculty of Law of the University of Montreal, and an Outstanding Graduate Award for her Master's degree at the American University, Washington College of Law.

Dr. Efraim has authored several publications, most notably her book entitled Sovereign (In)equality in International Organizations (The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff/ Kluwer Law International, 2000). Politically active for over twenty years, she ran for office in her home province of Quebec in the 1994 provincial elections–probably one of the youngest candidates in that year's election. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Shannon Dye

SHANNON DYE
Shannon Dye recently joined Aliant Bank as Senior Vice President and Commercial Relationship Manager for the bank's metropolitan Birmingham region. A 1980 graduate of the University of Montevallo, with a degree in Business Administration and Finance, Ms. Dye currently attends the Birmingham School of Law.

During her twenty-five year career in commercial banking, she has acquired valuable experience in treasury management, commercial lending, and leasing and deposit services. As a longtime resident in the Birmingham area, Ms. Dye has been an active participant in civic and charitable organizations. These include Sunrise Rotary; Network Birmingham; US Women's Chamber of Commerce; Leadership Birmingham 2001; Project Corporate Leadership; and United Way. She has also chaired committees or served as a member in Entrepreneurial Center, Community Development Corporation, Ronald McDonald House Board, and Financial Women International. [BACK TO TOP]

   
Kay A. Fuston

KAY A. FUSTON
A native of Birmingham, and a graduate of Auburn University, Kay A. Fuston is a twenty-year veteran of magazine publishing, currently serving as Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Coastal Living. She began her career at Southern Living, the country's largest regional magazine, where she held a number of positions, including Editorial Coordinator, Production Manager, and Copy Chief.

In 1996, Ms. Fuston was named Managing Editor of Weight Watchers. During her tenure, the magazine won the coveted Clarion Award for Most Improved Magazine. Five years later, she joined Coastal Living as Executive Director, and within a few months was promoted to Editor. Under her leadership, the magazine has won numerous awards, including two prestigious Editorial Excellence Awards, and inclusion in Ad Week's Hot List for 2002.

In addition to her current responsibilities, Ms. Fuston serves on the guest faculties of the New York University Summer Publishing Institute, and the University of Denver Publishing Institute. Her strong interest in environmental issues led to her appointment to the Criteria Review Committee for the Blue Wave Campaign, an environmental certification program for beaches. A loyal supporter of her alma mater, she serves on the Advisory Boards of Auburn Magazine and the Auburn University Public Relations Advisory Council. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Céline Hervieux-Payette

CÉLINE HERVIEUX-PAYETTE
Following a distinguished career as Deputy in the House of Commons, Parliamentary Secretary to the Solicitor General, and Minister in the Trudeau cabinet, the Honourable Céline Hervieux-Payette was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1995, by then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

In addition to her current responsibilities on the Senate Committees on Banking and Commerce, Scrutiny and Regulations, and the Canada-Mexico Parliamentary Friendship Association, Senator Hervieux-Payette continues to pursue her career as a prominent business and telecommunications attorney in one of Canada's leading law firms, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, LLP. Having served as Vice President for Business Development for the SNC Group, Executive Vice President and Associate for Donancy Ltd, and Vice President for Regulatory and Legal Affairs for Fonorola, Senator Hervieux-Payette is currently an Associate Governor of the University of Montreal, a member of the Board of Directors of AXA Insurance (Canada), the Canadian Club of Montreal, CANVAC (Canadian Network for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics), MIM (Mosaïcultures Internationales de Montréal), Tennis Canada, and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.

A strong supporter of women in business, she chairs the Board of Directors of FCAP, a venture capital fund for women entrepreneurs. In recognition of her involvement in international affairs, Senator Hervieux-Payette was also elected Inter-President of the International Forum of the Americas. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Kay Ivey

KAY IVEY
On January 20, 2003, the Honorable Kay Ivey was sworn in as the 38th Treasurer of the State of Alabama. A native of Camden, Alabama, Ms. Ivey graduated from Auburn University, where she was the first woman elected Vice President of the Student Government Association, and President of the SGA Senate. Ms. Ivey's extensive experience in education, banking, economic development, and higher education administration prepared well for the duties of the Office she currently holds.

During her 10 years with Merchants National Bank of Mobile (now Regions Bank), she rose to the rank of Assistant Vice President. She served as President of Alabama Young Bankers; and as Chair of the Education Committee of the Alabama Bankers Association, founder of the Alabama Banking School, of which she is a Charter Trustee and a graduate. Ms. Ivey also completed the School of Bank Marketing at the University of Colorado, and was a consultant to the American Bankers Association in Washington, DC, when it launched its nationwide Economic Education Program for K-12 teachers and students.

Additionally, Ms. Ivey served as Assistant Director of the Alabama Development Office, Reading Clerk of the Alabama House of Representatives, and, for 13 years, as Director of Government Relations and Communications for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. Appointed to positions in state government by governors Fob James, Guy Hunt, and Jim Folsom, Jr, she also completed studies at the Governor's Center for Public Policy at Duke University.

Active in civic organizations throughout her life, Ms. Ivey is a member of many organizations and serves on numerous boards. Among others, she was the first woman to serve as Director of the Montgomery Rotary Club, a group that recognized her with its Paul Harris Award. She is also a member of the Business Council of Alabama, the Economic Developers Association, the Alabama Forestry Association, and the national speaker's staff of the Daughters of the American Revolution. One of her passions is to work with young women, to encourage them to enter public service and serve with honor. [BACK TO TOP]

   
Tammy Merriman Johnson

TAMI MERRIMAN JOHNSON
Tami Merriman Johnson is Senior Vice President and Managing Director, of ANB Leasing Services, located in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1998, she co-founded ANB Leasing Services, which currently manages an equipment lease financing portfolio totaling over $180 million, operating in a seven-state region in the Southeast and mid-South. In her 23 years of professional experience, she has acquired expertise in international banking, corporate cash management, and commercial equipment lease financing. Her clients include commercial enterprises, as well as tax-exempt entities, including municipalities, county commissions, school districts, state agencies, and housing authorities. Ms. Johnson is frequently asked to speak to corporate leaders, accountants, and other business and municipal organizations about the structures and benefits of equipment lease financing.

A 1981 graduate of Auburn University with a B.A. in Foreign Languages/International Business, Ms. Johnson has traveled extensively during her banking career, both domestically and internationally. Fluent in French, she participates in various educational initiatives that support the study of foreign languages and cultures in Alabama schools, and speaks to many high-school groups about the importance of a liberal arts education.

In 2001, she was selected to join the Dean's Advisory Council for the College of Liberal Arts. In this capacity, she has undertaken various fundraising projects that support the College and its curricula. More recently, she was invited to become a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Women's Leadership Institute. Wholeheartedly committed to its mission, she has been instrumental in its creation and has devoted extensive energy to its development. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Patricia (Patsy) A. Jones

PATRICIA A. JONES (Faculty-In-Residence)
Patricia A. Jones (known as "Patsy") is a native of Opelika, Alabama. She studied in her home state, earning with Honors a B.Sc. and a M.Ed. from Alabama State University in Montgomery; additionally, she is certified in Municipal Government.

As an English teacher in the Tallapoosa County School System for 24 years, she touched the lives of many students and yielded outstanding accomplishments. Leaving the classroom in 1998, she joined the staff of the Alabama Education Association (AEA), where she is currently a UniServ Director for District 19 (Chambers and Lee Counties).

A trailblazer in her own community, Patsy Jones was the first woman appointed in 1992 by the Mayor of Opelika to be on the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority, and the first woman elected Vice Chair of that Board. Continuing to make history, she became the first African American woman to be elected to the Opelika City Council in 1995, completing an unexpired term and re-elected for two full terms. She was also the first African American woman elected President Pro Tem of the Opelika City Council.

During her tenure in local government, Councilwoman Jones has had a solid track record for supporting legislation enhancing the welfare of people in her district and Opelika; for promoting economic development; and for working to get a new tax passed, earmarked for the Opelika City Schools. Other achievements include allocating monies to renovate a new recreational addition to the Covington Community Center, getting an ordinance passed for weed abatement and demolition of abandoned buildings and homes, sponsoring a program designed to train and educated parents and children for a better life, and purchasing ceiling fans for all elderly residents of her district in the Opelika Housing Authority.

Councilwoman Jones provides leadership in many civic, professional, and political organizations. Her dedication to the causes close to her heart has brought her numerous awards, including recognition in Who's Who Among America's Teachers, Notable Women of East Alabama, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Hall of Fame, and 2004 Women of Achievement of Girls Scouts Concharty Council. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Katherine E. Kleeman

KATHERINE E. KLEEMAN (Faculty-In-Residence)
Katherine E. Kleeman is Senior Program Associate at the Eagleton Institute of Politics and its Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. She directs the Good Housekeeping Magazine Award for Women in Government, and CAWP's participation in "Pathways to Politics," a 2004 summer program for Girl Scouts.

Ms. Kleeman also writes or edits many CAWP and Eagleton publications, including reports, web contents, grant proposals, and newsletters. Publications she co-authored include Legislating By and For Women, Term Limits and the Representation of Women, and, most recently in collaboration with Ruth B. Mandel, Political Generation Next: America's Young Elected Leaders--a report on Eagleton's Young Elected Leaders Project. Working closely with the Center's information services, Ms. Kleeman is often invited to speak to groups about women's political participation. From 1990 until 1994, she directed CAWP's national project NEW Leadership Program, under a four-year grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Ms. Kleeman earned an A.B. from Radcliffe College, and an Ed.M. from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Eugenia L. Loggins

EUGENIA L. LOGGINS
A native of Opp, Alabama, Eugenia L. Loggins has served as the District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial Circuit of the State of Alabama for the past 18 years. She was one of the first women elected to this position in the State. Ms. Loggins earned a B.S. in Business Administration with High Honors from Auburn University, where she had been elected Secretary of the Women's Government Association and served as Secretary of the Women's Judiciary. Upon graduating from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, she practiced law with her husband, served as an Assistant District Attorney, and was the Municipal Court Judge in the city of Opp.

During her tenure as District Attorney, Ms. Loggins has been recognized as one of the foremost prosecutors in the State. In 1989, she received the Brad Morris Memorial Award, which recognizes the Alabama District Attorney of the Year. For the last seven consecutive years, she was elected to the Executive Committee of the Alabama District Attorneys Association–the governing body of the State's prosecutors.

Currently, Ms. Loggins serves on the State of Alabama Criminal Rules of Procedure Committee, the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee for the Middle District of Alabama, and the Alabama Sentencing Commission Worksheets and Standards Committee. [BACK TO TOP]

   
Lucie McLemore

LUCIE McLEMORE
A graduate of Huntington College and the Jones School of Law, Lucie McLemore served as Law Clerk to the Presiding Judge of the 15th Judicial Circuit of Alabama and as Staff Attorney for the Alabama Department of Finance before entering private practice.

When elected to the District Court of Montgomery County, Alabama, in November 2000, Judge McLemore considered her victory a mandate for fairness in court. While managing a caseload of over 9,000 misdemeanor and civil cases, Judge McLemore has gained a reputation for rendering justice without regard to the financial condition and other considerations of litigants. Fifteen years in private practice had cemented her desire to serve her community proactively.

Having heard almost 100 cases involving the illegal sale of alcohol and tobacco to young people, she became concerned that violations were increasing. Judge McLemore favors education as a remedy to this problem since punishment alone has proven ineffective. With assistance from the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, she has developed a court-supervised training program for store clerks and underage youths involved in the sales. The program is serving as a model for an anticipated statewide collaboration between law enforcement and the judiciary in addressing a serious problem affecting Alabama youth.

Beside being an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Huntington College, Judge McLemore has been an active and sustaining member of the Junior League of Montgomery, Alabama, and an ex officio board member of Crime Stoppers of Montgomery. Her interest in youth and education leads her often to the Montgomery Public Schools where she likes to read aloud to the children. She belongs to the Women's Section of the Alabama State Bar, the Federalist Society, American Mensa, and Kiwanis International. Her interest in American and European history and politics will take her to England in Summer 2004, to attend courses on Comparative Constitutional Law and the European Union at the University of Durham. Judge McLemore is also a 2003 graduate of the Yale University Women's Campaign School. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Annetta W. Nunn

ANNETTA W. NUNN
A native of Birmingham, Annetta W. Nunn was educated in the Birmingham public school system, and attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa where she graduated with honors. In 1980, she joined the Birmingham Police Department where has been assigned to various divisions including Detention, Patrol, Detective Bureau, and Administration.

Following training in several areas, she graduated from the FBI National Academy in 1997, was promoted to Deputy Chief in 2000, and commanded the Field Operations Bureau. She was the first African-American woman to hold this rank in the department. In 2003, she was appointed Chief of Police.

Chief Nunn volunteers at the Firehouse Shelter once a month and serves as a consultant with Junior Achievement, in addition to her membership on the Board of Directors of several community agencies, and her participation in various community activities upon request. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Folasade (Sade) Olanipekun

FOLASADE OLANIPEKUN
Ms. Olanipekun, who likes to be called Sade (sha-day), is the product of first generation immigrants living in the United States. Her father is from Nigeria and her mother is from Jamaica. Both she and her younger brother spent their early years in New York, Jamaica and Nigeria.

Shade relocated to Alabama in January 2002, to become Director of Finance for the City of Birmingham--the first woman to serve in this capacity. In her current position, she oversees the planning, direction, and administration of the Department of Finance operations, which include financial planning, budgeting, accounting, internal auditing, revenue collecting, and payroll operations. She also advises the Mayor and the City Council on various fiscal matters, and serves as Treasurer to numerous city agencies and boards, including the city's $900 million Retirement and Relief Pension System.

Prior to her present post, Sade served as City Treasurer for the city of Philadelphia, where she lived for over twelve years, and was the first black woman to serve in this position. She was responsible for overseeing the management and investment of cash reserves that represented tax receipts, grants, bond proceeds and other revenues of the city totaling about $2 billion, in addition to issuing bonds and various financial instruments on behalf of the city and its related agencies and authorities. During her tenure, she issued approximately $1.8 billion in fixed and variable rate debt.

Sade completed high school in Nigeria, obtained an undergraduate degree in Economics from the City University of New York, a Juris Doctor from Temple University, and a Master degree in Government Administration from the Fels School of Government of the University of Pennsylvania. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Susan Parker

SUSAN PARKER (Faculty-In-Residence)
The "Susan Parker Story" was told throughout the State in 2002, while she campaigned as the first woman from Alabama ever nominated by either major party for a US Senate seat. People were inspired by the television commercials showing her in the cotton field where she learned the lessons of hard work and determination.

Rising from humble beginnings on a small farm in Eva, Alabama, Dr. Parker devoted thirteen years to working full time while attending night school before earning her four degrees, including a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration. In 1998, she was elected statewide as one of Alabama's seven constitutional officers. As State Auditor, she was responsible for all property audit and inventory management, she appointed registrars in 66 of Alabama's 67 counties, and was fifth in line of succession to the Governor.

During her four-year term, Dr. Parker brought up-to-date audits that were almost ten years behind, instituted computerized auditing techniques, provided the public with audit information for the first time, and put no-bid contracts on the internet to shine light on the process of government projects.

Prior to her election, Dr. Parker was appointed to several administrative and management positions in higher education, and headed the boards of many community, charitable, and non-profit organizations. Numerous honors and awards have been bestowed upon Susan Parker for her professionalism and commitment to the causes she serves. Among others, she was the first woman from Alabama to receive the coveted "Ten Outstanding Young American Award" presented by the US Jaycees, and was selected "Outstanding Career Woman" by the Alabama Business and Professional Women's Association.

Community activity and service have been the watchwords for Susan Parker's career. A renowned motivational speaker, Dr. Parker continues to be involved in her community, while managing Parker Plus Consulting – a firm she created together with her husband. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Barbara H. Patton

BARBARA H. PATTON
Elected Mayor of the city of Opelika, Alabama in 1996, the Honorable Barbara H. Patton is currently serving her second term in office. After completing a B.S. degree in Biology at the University of Alabama, Mayor Patton worked in medical research at the Southern Research Institute and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has also worked in the accounting field for individuals and small companies, and operated a bed and breakfast and gift shop for ten years. Her many community activities, and her service on the boards of the Opelika Arts Association, the Opelika Historic Preservation Society, the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, the Lee County Medical Alliance, the Museum of East Alabama, among others, eventually led her to seek the top elected office in the city she has called home since her early adulthood.

A respected manager and community leader, Mayor Patton continues to serve her community in many capacities, in addition to her charge as Mayor. Currently, she is a member of the Policy Makers Board of the American Public Power Association; the Lee-Russell Council of Governments; the Commission on Manufacturing, Economic Stimulus, and Free and Fair Trade; the Board of Directors of the Alabama City/County Management Association; the Airport Advisory Board; and the Board of Trustees of the Opelika Arts Association. She also serves on the Committee on Finance, Administration and Intergovernmental Relations of the Alabama League of Municipalities; and the National League of Cities.

Under her able leadership, the city of Opelika has experienced unprecedented growth and prosperity. In 2003 alone, more than 650 jobs were announced, totaling over $ 112 million in capital investments, and bringing to Opelika such industries as Benteler Automotive, Mando America Corporation, Couch Ready Mix USA, and Afni Inc., in addition to Tiger Town--one of the largest shopping centers in the area. [BACK TO TOP]

   
Susan L. Routt

SUSAN L. ROUTT
An entrepreneur who has built several small businesses and successfully sold one to VF (Vanity Fair) Corporation, Susan L. Routt has started another entrepreneurial venture and as CEO is building her most recent company, Uniform Technology. This is a niche manufacturer specializing in technical apparel whose clients include Intel, Motorola, Abbot Labs, Ball Aerospace and other high tech companies that service the electronics, semiconductor, pharmaceutical, bio-tech and aerospace industries. Ms. Routt has been awarded Entrepreneur of Distinction by Esprit Entrepreneur, and is a member of IEST International, a technical standards organization, EOS/ESD, and UTSA, as well as other industry organizations.

Ms. Routt began her career with an English Degree from the University of Kentucky and a teaching certificate. After her initial career in teaching, she switched to the business world in sales and marketing. Her career with G&K Services, one of the top three leaders in apparel processing and distribution provided her with the industry knowledge to jumpstart her entrepreneurial foray into specialty apparel manufacturing as sole owner of Fibrotek Industries. Over the next 16 years Fibrotek became the industry leader in the manufacture of cleanroom and ESD clothing. Ultimately the company was purchased by VF Corporation, the largest apparel manufacturer in the world with over 73,000 employees. She remained there as President of Fibrotek for 2 years before moving on. At that time she created SLR, a manufacturers rep organization for specialty raw materials for the contamination control industry. Nine months later, Ms. Routt re-purchased the assets of Fibrotek in 2002, in order to start her latest and current company, Uniform Technology.

An active volunteer and founding member of "Boulder Food Share Guild"--a community food resource--Ms. Routt resides in Boulder, Colorado, where she enjoys skiing and biking. She has traveled extensively and maintains an active involvement with the local business community. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Rjamalligan N. "Lee" Sharma

RAJAMALLIGA N. "LEE" SHARMA
The daughter of two physicians, Lee Sharma was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. Upon graduating from high school in Auburn and earning a scholarship to Davidson College, in North Carolina, she studied music performance and earned the Bachelor's degree with honors. Then, she went on to study medicine at the University of Alabama, and completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Parkland Memorial Hospital, in Dallas, Texas.

During her tenure there, she served in several state and national positions in organized medicine, was a speaker at national meetings on the impact of managed care on residence training, and was the only resident physician on a standing national committee that approved residency training guidelines. It was during her service on this Graduate Medical Education Advisory Committee that she first became interested in resolving physician labor disputes.

After finishing her training, Dr. Sharma returned to her hometown. While in private practice, she earned a Master's degree in Conflict Resolution from Columbia College in South Carolina. She has worked for hospitals in training and mediation, and has published several articles on dispute resolution in medicine.

Dr. Sharma was recently named "Emerging Leader in Medicine" by the American Medical Association, and was appointed to the Dean's Advisory Board of the University of Alabama School of Medicine. In 2001, she opened her own practice in Auburn, centering on gynecology and preventive health care. [BACK TO TOP]
   
LuAnn Simms

LUANN SIMS
LuAnn Sims, a consultant in computer programming and training, is currently an Instructor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Auburn University, and an Adjunct Instructor in the Computer Information Systems Department at Southern Union State Community College in Opelika, Alabama. She received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the field of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Ms. Sims spent 13 years as an industrial engineer, primarily in computer manufacturing. She was the first industrial engineer hired by Compaq Computer Corporation (now Hewlett-Packard) in Houston, Texas, where she held various management positions, including Manager of Desktop Operations, and Manager of Engineering Evaluation. Ms. Sims left the corporate world to be a full-time mother, volunteering during this time in many local organizations, including her church, the PTA, the food bank, the adult literacy program, and local golf tournaments.

An avid golfer, Ms. Sims has twice won a club championship and won or placed in several Alabama state amateur events and other area tournaments. She has played golf throughout her career, and has made many useful contacts through the sport. She is an advocate for women's golf and its value for networking, and as a sport for life for women. Her daughter and two sons are competitive golfers as well. She currently serves as President of her local women's golf association, and is on the Greens Committee at Saugahatchee Country Club. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Louise Upshaw-McClenny

LOUISE UPSHAW-McCLENNY
Louise Upshaw-McClenny is the President and owner of Achievers International, a company specializing in training and consulting for the hospitality industry. Clients of Achievers include international hotel management companies such as St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, as well as numerous upscale independent hotels, resorts, and conference centers.

Prior to founding Achievers International, Ms. Upshaw-McClenny had a 17-year career in hotel sales and management. A graduate of Auburn University with both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in French, she spent her early professional years working for French companies, including Elf Aquitaine Petroleum, and Trouvay-Cauvin Pipeline. At Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, she launched her career in the hospitality industry, which culminated 15 years later as Director of Sales and Marketing for Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. In 1995, she formed Achievers International, which provides training and consulting services for numerous clients throughout the world.

Ms. Upshaw-McClenny is active in the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, Meeting Professionals International, the American Society for Training & Development, and the National Speakers Association. She is a frequent guest speaker, panelist, and seminar facilitator for numerous travel industry events, and is listed in "Who's Who of American Women." [BACK TO TOP]
   
Nancy Worley

NANCY WORLEY
Born in New Hope, Alabama, Nancy Worley grew up on a family farm in Madison County. Having earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees, she also studied at the University of London and the University of Edinburgh, while pursuing a successful career as a high-school and community-college teacher of English and Latin. In a 2002 statewide election, Secretary of State Worley won her bid to become Alabama's 50th Secretary of State.

Strongly committed to her community and her profession, Secretary of State Worley has served them both in various capacities. She was the first person ever to be elected twice as President of the Alabama Education Association (AEA), and as State President of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the Association of Classroom Teachers (ACT). Secretary of State Worley is involved in numerous organizations, and continues to sit on many of their boards, including, those of the YMCA's Youth in Government, the Troy State University Davis Theatre, the Alabama Forum, the State Democratic Executive Committee, the Alabama Consumer Task Force, the Alabama Humanities Foundation, the University of Montevallo Alumni Association, and the League of Women Voters.

Renowned as a motivational speaer kand an effective communicator, Secretary of State Worley is frequently invited to conduct leadership workshops and parliamentary procedure training for civic, professional, and educational groups. For her dedication to the causes she serves, she has received numerous honors and awards. Among others, she was named Alumna of the Year by the University of Montevallo, recognized as Alabama's Outstanding Young Educator by the Alabama Jaycees, featured as one of America's 100 Women of Promise in Good Housekeeping magazine, and three times received the Teacher of the Year Award of the Decatur City Schools.

As Secretary of State and Chief Elections Officer, Secretary of State Worley has coordinated a successful statewide voter ID educational program, and a Smackdown Your Vote program targeting youth voter registration and participation in government. She has also worked for the passage of six election bills that became law in 2003–a legislative record in Alabama's history. A competent leader, Secretary of State Worley removed the "Make Busy" and "Not Ready" buttons from her state agency's telephones, has shortened the turnaround time on Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings to two days, upgraded and scanned historic land records, and notified patrons of outdated trademarks, based on information in the Lands and Trademarks Division of her office. [BACK TO TOP]
   
Sharon G. Yates

SHARON G.YATES
Presiding Judge of the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, Sharon G. Yates was elected in 1992. She was the third woman to serve on an Alabama Appellate Court, and the first to serve on the Court of Civil Appeals.

After receiving a B.A degree and an M.A in Educational Administration from the University of Alabama, Judge Yates worked for the Bureau of Post-Secondary Education of the Office of Education in Washington, DC, prior to returning to Alabama as an Educational Programmer for the Southeast Regional Resource Center–a federally funded program based at Auburn University in Montgomery. As a law student at the University of Alabama School of Law, Judge Yates served as a summer clerk for Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice C. C. "Bo" Torbert, Jr, and later as a staff attorney for Alabama Supreme Court Associate Justice Sam A. Beatty. She then entered private practice prior to joining the faculty of Jones Law School, where she remained until her election to the Bench.

As a judge, Judge Yates serves on numerous judicial committees, including, the Alabama Supreme Court's Standing Committee on Appellate Mediation; the Advisory Committee of the Family Preservation Court Improvement Project; the Subcommittee on Expediting Appeals; the Children's Justice Task Force; the Supreme Court Judicial Study Commission; the Standing Committee on Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration; the Alabama Law Institute; the Bench Manual Committee of the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and the Alabama State Bar Appellate Practice Section and Community Education Committees, among others.

Despite her enormous responsibilities on the Bench, Judge Yates remains fully engaged in a wide range of community and professional organizations, as evidenced by her continued service on the Board of Directors of the Children First Foundation, and the YMCA Youth in Government, in addition to her memberships in Leadership Montgomery, Leadership Alabama, the Cumberland Law School Advisory Board, and the Jones Law School Advisory Board, to mention but a few. Her commitment to the cause of women and children also led to her involvement in the Alabama State Bar's Section for Women in the Legal Profession, Alabama Lawyers for Children, and Child Protect, Inc. [BACK TO TOP]